Australian firms save 18 hours per AI-powered contract

Docusign has published research showing that Australian businesses using artificial intelligence in agreement processes save an average of 18 hours on each agreement. However, most organisations still do not use AI to analyse data in signed contracts.

Produced with Deloitte, the study suggests Australian organisations have made broad progress in applying AI to contract creation, review and approval, cutting end-to-end cycle times by 34% among respondents. At the same time, it highlights a gap between using AI to speed up agreement workflows and using it to extract commercial and compliance information after agreements are completed.

The survey found that 87% of Australian organisations had reached what it described as AI maturity. Businesses using AI in their agreement processes reported a 32% return over the past 12 months, while organisations at what the study called agentic AI maturity reported nearly 30% higher returns than those that had not reached that stage.

Unread data

A central finding was that companies often fail to use the information held in finalised agreements. Across the global sample, only 16% of organisations use advanced analytics and AI to interpret agreement data after signing, while 61% still rely on manual work to extract information from contracts stored across separate systems.

That matters because contracts contain data on pricing, obligations, renewal dates and liability exposure, all of which can affect revenue recognition, procurement oversight and regulatory compliance. The research suggests many businesses still treat contracts mainly as transactional documents rather than as a source of operational data.

Shaun McLagan, Group VP and GM, ANZ, Docusign, said: "Australian businesses have proven AI can deliver immense value by removing manual friction from agreement workflows, but accelerating contract creation and approvals is only step one. True competitive advantage comes from connecting the entire lifecycle. By using a single end-to-end intelligent platform, organisations can run efficient daily workflows while ensuring the valuable data generated during negotiation feeds back into corporate strategy."

The figures also point to a fragmented software environment. Globally, 72% of organisations use multiple tools across their agreement process, and 65% use four or more tools. Only 7% use a single integrated agreement management system.

Tool sprawl

For companies trying to expand AI use, that mix of systems creates a practical obstacle. If contract data is split across drafting, approval, signature and storage tools, businesses may struggle to build the connected datasets needed for automated analysis and decision-making.

McLagan said: "Every signed agreement holds structured, high-value intelligence: pricing, obligations, renewal dates and liability exposure. In most cases globally, it is buried the day it is created, and Australian businesses are no exception."

The report argues that stronger returns are linked to connected data foundations. In the global findings, 81% of organisations running end-to-end solutions said accuracy improved, compared with 66% of those without such setups. Among Australian respondents, 65% said accuracy improved after adopting automated workflows.

Regulatory compliance was the area most often cited by Australian respondents as benefiting from better accuracy, at 42%. That was followed by clause consistency at 39% and fewer clerical errors at 18%.

Trust in AI for risk detection also appeared relatively high among local respondents. The survey found that 71% of Australian organisations trust AI workflows to flag risks tied to local regulatory requirements, suggesting businesses are becoming more comfortable using automated systems for parts of compliance monitoring.

McLagan said: "AI can only generate intelligence when it can see the full picture. If agreement data sits across several disconnected tools, teams spend their time chasing information instead of reading it and acting on it."

Market snapshot

The research covered more than 1,100 business leaders across Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Respondents came from organisations with annual revenue ranging from USD $25 million to more than USD $1 billion, and from businesses employing between 125 and more than 10,000 people.

Participants held Director-level or more senior roles with responsibility for agreement management in functions including legal, sales, procurement, customer experience, human resources and IT. The study also included qualitative executive interviews.

For Australian businesses, the results suggest the next phase of AI adoption in contract management will depend less on speeding up document workflows and more on integrating systems so agreement data can be used after signing. The survey indicates that while many organisations have already captured time savings from automation, fewer have built the infrastructure needed to turn contract records into a working source of business intelligence.

McLagan said: "Australian organisations have been quick to use AI to close deals faster, but speed alone no longer sets you apart. The bigger opportunity is what happens after the contract is signed. Most businesses file agreements away and forget them, even though they are full of useful data on revenue, compliance and supplier commitments. Our survey found that most organisations still surface that information manually. The companies pulling ahead are using AI to put contract data to work, letting it drive business decisions across an end-to-end platform."

McLagan said: "Australian businesses are sitting on a significant intelligence reserve. But without getting the plumbing right, agreement workflows will fail to unlock and deploy that asset."